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A series of 3-[6-(4-substituted-piperazin-1-yl)-4-methyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]-1H-pyridine-2-one were synthesized to modulate CYP3A4 inhibition and improve aqueous solubility of our prototypical compound BMS-536924 (1), while maintaining potent IGF-1R inhibitory activity. Structure-activity and structure-solubility studies led to the identification of BMS-577098 (27), which demonstrates oral in vivo efficacy in animal models. The improvement was achieved by replacing morpholine with more polar bio-isoster piperazine and modulating the basicity of distal nitrogen with appropriate substitutions.

Generation of imino-quinone methide type intermediates from 2-aminothiazole-5-carbinols using alkylsulfonic acids in nitromethane followed by trapping with a wide range of nucleophiles effects C-C, C-O, C-N, C-S, and C-P bond formation.

3-(Benzimidazol-2-yl)-pyridine-2-one-based ATP competitive inhibitors of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Kinase (IGF-IR) were optimized for reduced Cyp3A4 inhibition and improved oral exposure. The use of malonate as methyl anion synthon via S(N)Ar reaction and double decarboxylation under mild conditions is demonstrated.

Pyrrolotriazine dual EGFR/HER2 kinase inhibitors with a 5-((4-aminopiperidin-1-yl)methyl) solubilizing group were found to be superior to analogs with previously reported C-5 solubilizing groups. New synthetic methodology was developed for the parallel synthesis of C-4 analogs with the new solubilizing group. Interesting new leads were evaluated in tumor xenograft models and the C-4 aminofluorobenzylindazole, 1c, was found to exhibit the best antitumor activity. It is hypothesized that this solubilizing group extends into the ribose-phosphate portion of the ATP binding pocket and enhances the binding affinity of the inhibitor.

A series of 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)pyridin-2(1H)-one inhibitors of insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 (IGF-1R) were examined in which the pendant imidazole moiety was replaced to improve selectivity for IGF-1R inhibition over cytochrome P450 (CYP). Synthesis and SAR of these compounds is presented.

The discovery and synthesis of 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)pyridin-2(1H)-one inhibitors of insulin-like growth factor 1-receptor (IGF-1R) are presented. Installing amine containing side chains at the 4-position of pyridone ring significantly improved the enzyme potency. SAR and biological activity of these compounds is presented.

Novel C-5 substituted pyrrolotriazines were optimized for dual EGFR and HER2 protein tyrosine kinase inhibition. The lead compound exhibited promising oral efficacy in both EGFR and HER2 driven human tumor xenograft models. It is hypothesized that its C-5 morpholine side chain binds in the ribose phosphate portion of the ATP binding pocket.

We have recently identified BMS-345541 (1) as a highly selective and potent inhibitor of IKK-2 (IC50 = 0.30 μM), which however was considerably less potent against IKK-1 (IC50 = 4.0 μM). In order to further explore the SAR around the imidazoquinoxaline tricyclic structure of 1, we prepared a series of tetracyclic analogues (7, 13, and 18). The synthesis and biological activities of these potent IKK inhibitors are described.

A novel class of 1H-(benzimidazol-2-yl)-1H-pyridin-2-one inhibitors of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1R) kinase is described. This report discusses the SAR of 4-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethylamino)-substituted pyridones with improved IGF-1R potency.

Pyrrolotriazines with an ester group at C-5 were prepared and evaluated as inhibitors of the EGFR and HER2 receptor tyrosine kinases, validated targets for cancer therapy. The C-5 ester (15) was at least as potent as its C-6 ester analogue (17), an example of a known series of pyrrolotriazine EGRF/HER2 kinase inhibitors that show good biochemical and cellular activity. The C-5 esters were synthesized from pyrrole 2,3-diesters that were made by a new, one-pot procedure. This involved reaction of readily available N-tosyl derivatives of α-amino acid esters or ketones with triphenylphosphine and diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate to form 3-pyrrolines via an intramolecular Wittig olefination. The 3-pyrroline intermediates were not isolated but treated directly with base to eliminate toluenesulfinic acid and generate the pyrrole 2,3-diesters in good yield.Key words: pyrrolotriazine, EGFR, HER2, pyrrole, intramolecular Wittig reaction.

A series of fluoroglycosylated fluoroindolocarbazoles was examined with respect to their topoisomerase I activity, cytotoxicity, and selectivity. The lead clinical candidate from this series, BMS-250749, displays broad spectrum antitumor activity superior to CPT-11 against some preclinical xenograft models, including curative antitumor activity against Lewis lung carcinoma.

A series of fluoroindolocarbazoles were studied with respect to their topoisomerase I activity, cytotoxicity, selectivity, and in vivo antitumor activity. Emerging from this series was BMS-251873, a potential clinical candidate possessing a robust pharmacological profile including curative antitumor activity against prostate carcinoma.

The evolution of 2, a C-4-methylcarbonate analogue of paclitaxel with minimal oral bioavailability and oral efficacy, into its C-3'-t-butyl-3'-N-t-butyloxycarbonyl analogue (15i), a novel taxane with oral efficacy in preclinical models that is comparable to iv administered paclitaxel, is described.

The synthesis and biological activity of sordarin oxazepine derivatives are described. The key step features a regioselective oxidation of an unprotected triol followed by double reductive amination to afford the ring-closed products. The spectrum of antifungal activity for these novel derivatives includes coverage of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Cryptococcus neoformans.

A fermentation directed product search for potential anticancer drugs conducted by Bristol-Myers in the 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the identification of a novel indolocarbazole (IC) rebeccamycin (RBM) as a potential drug development candidate. Subsequently, an analog program designed to impart distal site in vivo antitumor activity resulted in the discovery of diethylaminoethyl analog of RBM (DEAE-RBM), which is presently undergoing clinical evaluation as NSC 655649 and BMY-27557. Strong DNA intercalation is the primary mechanism of action of DEAE-RBM resulting in the potent catalytic inhibition of both topoisomerases I and II. Precursor feeding fermentation experiments with fluorine-substituted tryptophans yielded novel fluoroindolocarbazoles (FICs). These FICs were identified as targeting topoisomerase (topo) I in a mechanism-based screen and their action on topo I was confirmed by production of topo I-mediated single-strand breaks in DNA at sites essentially identical to those induced by camptothecin. Topo I dependent cytotoxicity was demonstrated for specific FICs using a P388 and camptothecin-resistant P388/CPT45 pair of cell lines, the latter expresses little or no functional topo I. For example, topo I selectivity was greatest with 3,9-difluoro substituted FIC and was least significant and least cytotoxic with 4,8-difluoro substituted FIC. The review focuses on the discovery of the rebeccamycin class of compounds and their structure-activity relationships leading to the development of the clinical candidate BMY-27557 (NSC 655649), as well as the lead identification of the fluoroindolocarbazole class of compounds.

[structure: see text] 2-Aryl-2,2-difluoroacetamido-proline and pipecolate esters are high affinity FKBP12 ligands whose rotamase inhibitory activity is comparable to that seen for the corresponding ketoamides. X-ray structural studies suggest that the fluorine atoms participate in discrete interactions with the Phe36 phenyl ring and the Tyr26 hydroxyl group, with the latter resembling a moderate-to-weak hydrogen bond.

The preparation of C-7 paclitaxel ethers is described. Various substituted ethers were prepared via activation of the corresponding methylthiomethyl ether followed by alcohol addition. Variation of the C-7 ether group as well the 3' side chain position led to the discovery of a novel taxane, BMS-184476 (4), with preclinical antitumor activity superior to paclitaxel.

The syntheses and antitumor activity of three paclitaxel-chlorambucil hybrids are presented. Hybrid 3 showed significant in vivo efficacy.

The synthetic transposition of the 7-hydroxyl group of paclitaxel to the 6-position is described. The route presented prepares both the 6-α- and β-isomers stereospecifically. The key step of this transposition involves the stereoselective reduction of the 6,7-α-thiocarbonate using tributylgermanium hydride.

An efficient syntheses of the 3′-N isomeric paclitaxel analogs, 4 and 5, are described. A highly diastereoselective Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction is utilized to establish the required (2′R,3′S) stereochemistry on the C-13 side chain. Both of the 3′-N modified analogs 4 and 5 were found to be cytotoxic in vitro. Analog 4 also displayed comparable in vivo activity to that of paclitaxel in the ip M-109 tumor model.

An esperamicin core analog 4 with an epoxide trigger like that found in the related enediyne, dynemicin, was prepared. Surprisingly, it was found to be relatively stable; the p -aminophenyl substituent did not facilitate epoxide solvolysis to the extent that had been anticipated. A mild acid, pyridinium p -toluenesulfonate, was found to induce solvolysis of 4 and led to the formation of the cycloaromatized product 25 .

An enediyne analog ( 2 , R=H) that is a hybrid of the core structures of esperamicin and dynemicin was prepared. The key step in its synthesis was a Reissert-type reaction that involved intramolecular addition of the anion of a Z-1,3-diyn-2-ene to an N-acyl tetrahydrophenathridinium intermediate. It was found that 2 (R=H) readily undergoes epoxide rearrangement to an allylic alcohol ( 16 ). Both 2 (R=H) and 16 form the same cycloaromatized product 17 when heated in MeOH at 45 °C.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity properties of novel C-2′ analogues of paclitaxel are described. The analogues were synthesized using Holton's β-lactam approach to append the side chain on baccatin III. The key intermediate to the synthesis of novel analogues was prepared employing an unprecedented stereocontrolled addition of Grignard reagent to a chiral azetidine-2,3-dione.

The synthesis, pharmacokinetic properties, and antitumor evaluation of novel paclitaxel phosphonooxymethyl ether derivatives 8–11 and salts thereof is described. These compounds exhibit improved water solubility as compared to paclitaxel (1) and upon incubation with plasma and alkaline phosphatase they readily release parent drug. The in vivo antitumor evaluation of compounds 8–11 established them as suitable pro-drugs of paclitaxel.

Several C-13 amidopaclitaxel analogs have been synthesized during the course of our structure−activity relationship study at the C-13 position. These include 4-deacetyl-13-amidopaclitaxel (4), 13-a...

A large number of C-4 paclitaxel analogs have been prepared in the course of our systematic C-4 modification. These include C-4 esters, carbonates, carbamates as well as a C-4 deacetyl derivative. All of these analogs were evaluated in a tubulin polymerization assay as well as in a cytotoxicity assay against a human colon cancer cell line. The potent analogs emerging from these in vitro assays were further evaluated in vivo. With the exception of paclitaxel side chain bearing C-4 carbamates and C-4 aromatic esters, most of the C-4 aliphatic esters and carbonates were found to possess comparable or superior activity to paclitaxel in vitro. Several C-4 aliphatic esters and carbonates also exhibited in vivo activities against i.p. implanted murine M-109 lung carcinoma.

Three new phosphate derivatives of paclitaxel-2′-ethylcarbonate 4a, 4b, and 4c, have been synthesized and evaluated for in vivo antitumor activity. All were soluble in water and two derivatives 4a and 4b were found to exhibit in vivo antitumor activity, comparable to paclitaxel in the M109 murine tumor model.

The thiol activation and aromatization of bicyclo[7.1.0]enediynes was found to be dependent of the nature of the propargyl substituent. These effects are correlated to antitumor activity.

Etoposide Phosphate (BMY-40481) is synthesized semisynthetically from the clinically approved anticancer parent drug, etoposide (VP-16-213), and also from natural (−)-epipodophyllotoxin. Etoposide phosphate functions as a clinically active, water soluble prodrug of etoposide. The NDA for etoposide phosphate was filed in June, 1994.

A series of taxol derivatives, modified at C-7, is described. This includes sulfonate, silylether, ester, carbonate, carbamate, fluoro, dehydro and deoxy derivatives. Biological evaluation shows that these modifications do not usually significantly compromise activity. However, none of the C-7 analogs prepared thus far have been shown to be better than taxol in both in vitro and in vivo assays.

A chemoselective approach to functionalize the C-10 position of 10-deacetyl baccatin III, a key intermediate for the semi-synthesis of paclitaxel, is described. The chemistry provides an easy access to a variety of C-10 hydroxyl derivatives, such as, ethers, esters, carbonates, carbamates, and sulfonates under mild conditions. The C-10 modified baccatin derivatives were further employed in the synthesis of novel biologically active Taxol® analogues.

Red-Al was used to selectively remove the C 2 benzoate of 7,13-bisTES baccatin ( 8 ). Derivatization of the resulting C 2 hydroxy compound provided the corresponding p-nitrophenyl carbamate, the p-methoxy and p-nitrobenzoates, and cyclohexyl ester. Attachment of the taxol side chain to the above four analogs via lactam ( 15 ) followed by desilylation provided five analogs of taxol modified at the C 2 position, including a C 1,2 cyclic carbonate. These five analogs were less potent than taxol in a tubulin polymerization assay and a cytotoxicity assay against human colon cancer cell line.

Core-modified sordaricin derivatives were prepared via biotransformation followed by chemical modification and tested for antifungal activity. The antifungal activity proved to be very sensitive to modifications in the sterics and/or lipophilicity of the diterpene skeleton. Introduction of polar groups such as hydroxyl in the diterpene core results in loss of potency while small and lipophilic groups such as fluorine and the 7,8-olefin are well tolerated.

Therapeutic development of a targeted agent involves a series of decisions over additional activities that may be ignored, eliminated or pursued. This paper details the concurrent application of two methods that provide a spectrum of information about the biological activity of a compound: biochemical profiling on a large panel of kinase assays and transcriptional profiling of mRNA responses. Our mRNA profiling studies used a full dose range, identifying subsets of transcriptional responses with differing EC(50)s which may reflect distinct targets. Profiling data allowed prioritization for validation in xenograft models, generated testable hypotheses for active compounds, and informed decisions on the general utility of the series.

Analogues of taxol with a modified phenylisoserine side chains were synthesized and evaluated as potential cytotoxic agents.

The E-ring 3′,4′,5′-trihydroxy etoposide analog 3 of the clinical antitumor agent etoposide 1 was synthesized from the corresponding etoposide ortho-quinone 2 . This analog is twice as potent as etoposide in its ability to elicit topoisomerase II mediated DNA double strand breaks. However, our in vitro cytotoxicity assay, using human colon tumor cells grown in culture, and our in vivo P388 murine leukemia screen reveal considerable loss of potency and/or activity vis-a-vis etoposide.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel taxol derivatives having a phosphonoxyphenylpropionate ester group at the 2′-position or at the 7-position of taxol are described. These were found to have much improved water solubility and both were found to generate taxol upon exposure to alkaline phosphatase. A particular derivative, 7-phosphonoxyphenylpropionate of taxol 3b exhibited antitumor activity comparable to that of taxol against the ip/ip M109 murine tumor model.

The simple enediyne core molecule 1 is shown to cause protein damage to several cellular protein isolates in vitro. The aromatization of 1 to generate a benzene diradical under simulated physiological conditions is also described.

Synthesis and in vivo antitmor evaluation of water soluble 2′- and 7-taxol phosphates is reported. These derivatives were found to be poor prodrugs of taxol based on their marginal in vivo antitumor activity against ip,ip M109 murine tumor model and taxol release studies in vitro .

A chemoselective approach to functionalize the C-10 position of 10-deacetyl baccatin III, a key intermediate for the semi-synthesis of paclitaxel, is described. The chemistry provides an easy access to a variety of C-10 hydroxyl derivatives, such as, ethers, esters, carbonates, carbamates, and sulfonates under mild conditions. The C-10 modified baccatin derivatives were further employed in the synthesis of novel biologically active Taxol® analogues.

The synthetic transposition of the 7-hydroxyl group of paclitaxel to the 6-position is described. The route presented prepares both the 6-α- and β-isomers stereospecifically. The key step of this transposition involves the stereoselective reduction of the 6,7-α-thiocarbonate using tributylgermanium hydride.

The syntheses and antitumor activity of three paclitaxel-chlorambucil hybrids are presented. Hybrid 3 showed significant in vivo efficacy.

Paclitaxel analogues with a sulfur group at the 7β position were required for SAR studies. Attempts to generate these compounds by displacing a 7α leaving group with sulfur nucleophiles were unsuccessful. Instead, these compounds were successfully prepared from a 7β-thiol intermediate that was obtained by a base-catalyzed epimerization of the 7α-thiol derivative. The epimerization presumably proceeds through a thioaldehyde intermediate and exhibits the opposite stereochemical preference of its oxygen counterpart.

Pyrrolidine, pyrrolidinone, carbocyclic, and acyclic groups were used as isosteric proline replacements in a series of insulin-like growth factor I receptor kinase/insulin receptor kinase inhibitors. Examples that were similar in potency to proline-containing reference compounds were shown to project a key fluoropyridine amide into a common space, while less potent compounds were not able to do so for reasons of stereochemistry or structural rigidity.

Oxime derivatives of the sordarin aglycone have been identified as potent antifungal agents. The in vitro spectrum of activity includes coverage against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata with MICs as low as 0.06 μg/mL. The antifungal activity was established to be exquisitely sensitive to the spatial orientation of the lipophilic side chains.

Generation of imino-quinone methide type intermediates from 2-aminothiazole-5-carbinols using alkylsulfonic acids in nitromethane followed by trapping with a wide range of nucleophiles effects C−C, C−O, C−N, C−S, and C−P bond formation.